Shipping Antique Firearms

Shipping antique firearms takes some planning and research. First of all you need to learn how to package the item properly so that it won’t get damaged during shipping. Secondly you need to learn what shipping companies you can use to ship firearms to your sellers as not all parcel carriers allow firearms to be shipped using their service. Before you try to ship your civil war firearms you need to learn how to overcome both of these hurdles.

The first thing that you need to learn is how to properly package your antique firearms for shipping. To do this you will first need a sturdy box that is large enough for the gun to lay flat on the bottom without rubbing against the sides. However, you don’t want a box that is too big. This will cause the weapon to rattle around in the box during shipping and increase the chances that it will be damaged. Next you need to pad the box so that the antique gun is held firmly in place and so that there is enough padding to absorb shock caused by being moved around. After your gun is padded and secured in the box you will next want to make sure that the box is sealed completely. Use a sturdy tape to wrap the circumference of the box in all three directions. First around the circumference of its length, then around the circumference of its width and finally around the circumference of its height. The final step is to make sure that the box does not have any markings on it that indicates that there is a weapon inside.

Now that your antique firearms are boxed properly you are ready to find a carrier. DHL will not ship firearms so mark them off your list of possible carriers. FedEx will ship firearms if you meet their shipping requirements. To ship your firearms via FedEx you will need to use their FedEx Priority Overnight shipping method, the item will need to be packaged so that it is not operable and your packaging must not indicate that there is a weapon in the box. You will also need to prove to FedEx that you are a licensed seller of firearms and that your shipment doesn’t violate any federal, state or local laws. UPS is less restrictive. They are a good option for auction sellers. Generally the only requirements that you will need to meet include: requiring an adult signature when the packaged is delivered and having a letter on file at UPS that proves that you are legally able to sell firearms in your state. The USPS will also ship firearms, except for handguns. You will need to read the USPS “Handbook HBK IS-135, Firearms” for more information about shipping firearms through the mail.